Episode Archive for The Assembly Call

This week on Assembly Call Radio, we kick things off by acknowledging the importance of the recent gift the IU men’s basketball team received from the Roberts family — which will result in much-needed renovations to the locker room area in Simon-Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Then we talk about … what else? Romeo.

Zach McCrite, who lives in New Albany, and who called several of Romeo’s games this season, is on hand to discuss what he’s hearing from people close to the situation. (Spoiler alert: you’ll like what he’s hearing.) And Ryan Phillips is back to discuss why being TOO over-confident about Romeo becoming a Hoosier isn’t really fair to Romeo.

We also break down the final recruiting rankings for the Class of 2018, and discuss which Hoosier we think continues to be undervalued. We also discuss Indiana’s continued pursuit of Trendon Watford, the flurry of offers to Class of 2019 guards, and Indiana’s home/away Big Ten schedule for next season.

All of that — plus new intro music for Ryan — on this week’s edition of Assembly Call Radio.

[Read more…] about [399] Locker Room Talk and IU Recruiting Roundup

This week on Assembly Call Radio we address the two biggest IU basketball stories of the week: Romeo Langford announcing his decision date and location, and Juwan Morgan announcing his intention to submit his name for the NBA Draft and receive feedback on his status.

We address each situation individually (why it feels like the winds are blowing in Indiana’s direction for Romeo, and why we still expect Juwan to return for his senior season) and then address them together, because it sure is fun to think about an IU lineup next year that includes one of the Big Ten’s best and most experienced players plus the guy who would be the odds-on favorite to be the conference’s newcomer of the year.

In addition, we discuss the latest FBI bombshell, Comcast’s decision to drop the Big Ten Network in some markets, and what changes we would make if we were Big Ten commissioner.

All of that and more on this week’s edition of Assembly Call Radio — hosted by Jerod Morris and featuring Andy Bottoms, Brian Tonsoni, and, by popular demand … lots of new music!

[Read more…] about [398] What Would 2018-19 Look Like with Romeo and Juwan?

On this week’s edition of Assembly Call Radio, we begin by honoring the women’s basketball team for winning the WNIT. Then Andy and Ryan give their opening statements, and we delve into a potpourri of topics:

• Our lingering thoughts on what IU fans can take from the Final Four and apply to our program
• The comment Jalen Brunson made after the title game that got Jerod thinking about an important element of the program that Archie Miller and his staff need to keep nurturing … and what AJ Moye’s got to do with it
• Where Indiana ranked in the Wall Street Journal’s college basketball program value rankings, and what it means (Link: http://www.insidethehall.com/2018/04/02/study-iu-basketball-is-nations-second-most-valuable-program/
)
• What Fred Glass said about the athletic department’s financial commitment to IU basketball — and why it suggests that IU is sill a blue blood in everything but consistent on-court results (Link: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2018/04/04/iu-basketball-spending-our-program-doesnt-want-anything/485151002/)
• Andy gives us a quick tour of the projected comings and goings of key players in the Big Ten

And then we close by answering your questions. There were several good ones submitted, so we saved over 10 minutes for this segment.

Among the questions:

• Do we think Romeo and Archie are a personality fit? (Does this even matter?)
• Who is the best coach without a title?
• Is it more important for IU to pick up a guard or a big man before next season?
• What transfer/ early departure in recent years, or the past, do we think would have made the largest impact at IU had they stayed for their full 4 years?

All of that and more on this week’s edition of Assembly Call Radio.

[Read more…] about [397] IU Still a Blue Blood … On the Balance Sheet, At Least

This week on Assembly Call Radio, we break down the Final Four in the only real way we can make it relevant for an Indiana basketball show.

And that is: the lessons that Archie Miller and IU fans can take from this year’s Final Four participants, as we all look toward a future in which Indiana is actually a threat to make this event again.

Among the topics discussed:

— The importance of guard play
— Why experience matters, but only a particular type of experience … and not without young talent to surround it
— Reminders about the whims of NCAA Tournament play
— How much pace matters (if at all) when it comes to making deep Tournament runs … and what definitely matters more
— The crazy shooting stats this year’s Final Four team’s possess
— A reminder about the importance of patience with good coaches

And more.

We also reflect on the missed opportunity from 2016, touch on the women’s basketball team making it to the title game of the WNIT, and, sadly, touch on the passing and underrated career of IU great Daryl Thomas.

With Andy Bottoms out, our coach, Brian Tonsoni, filled in. He joins Jerod and Ryan for this episode.

[Read more…] about [396] 9 Lessons From This Year’s Final Four Participants

On this week’s edition of Assembly Call Radio, we are joined by special guest host Galen Clavio from Crimson Cast. He helps us take aim at the unnecessary and irrational fears expressed by some Indiana fans in the immediate wake of Virginia’s loss to UMBC in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Why were these IU fans feeling panicked? Because IU, like Virginia, plays the pack line defense. So if this could happen to Virginia … are Archie Miller’s Indiana Hoosiers going to be doomed to decades of underperforming in the NCAA Tournament?

As I said, the reactions were unnecessary and irrational. 😉

But this being the offseason we need fresh meat to chew on, and these reactions provided the perfect springboard for an episode.

And while dismissing the Archie Miller/Tony Bennett comparisons is quite simple (for better and worse), this general topics also gave us a chance to put to bed the erroneous notions that Archie Miller’s offense doesn’t value the 3-pointer and that the pack line defense isn’t adept at defending the three-point line.

All of that and more on this week’s edition of Assembly Call Radio.

[Read more…] about [395] Busting Myths About Archie and the Pack Line Defense

On this week’s edition of Assembly Call Radio (recorded a day earlier than normal so as to not conflict with Thursday night’s opening round NCAA Tournament games) we deal with our disgust at another NCAA Tournament opening without Indiana by looking ahead to next year.

Specifically, we dissect 10 things that absolutely must happen if Indiana is going to break its two-year NCAA Tournament drought. And we put them in order of importance.

Spoiler alert: Romeo committing is NOT one of the 10 things. The whole point is that there is a path to the NCAA Tournament even without Romeo, but a lot will have to go right for that happen.

But on the topic of Romeo, we discuss him in our opening segments. Did it mean anything that he’s pushing his decision back to mid-April? Perhaps …

All of that and more on this week’s edition of Assembly Call Radio, with our usual crew of Jerod, Andy, and Ryan present.

[Read more…] about [394] What Must Happen for Indiana to Make Next Year’s NCAA Tournament